Sick people need healing:I am a Disciple? Really?

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life^[h] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."- Matthew 16:24-25.

You remember when you accepted Christ into your heart? Remember the person who you spoke to about it, or the process you went through to get there. I would imagine someone took time out with you to explain what it is you were getting yourself into. Normally at church that part in the service at the end of the sermon when the preacher extends a "Call to discipleship" is where that would normally take place. What about when we are not in church? I can speak for myself for the longest time I was like "I'm not the type of person to just walk up to someone and try to witness the gospel, that aint my calling"..lol. Not realizing that it was an official call we all take when we come to Christ. You saying p huh? Watch this...In the book of Mark chapter 2 around verse 13...Jesus is goes out by a Lake and large crowd comes out to him and he begins to teach them. As he is teaching them he see's Levi at the tax collectors booth and gives the call (to discipleship) to come follow him. Naturally Levi follows after him(as anyone of us would've if Jesus said it straight to you). He goes on to eat dinner with them at Levi's house and he sitting amongst as the bible says "tax collectors and sinners". Why does this matter? Like the present day; tax collectors are known for cheating the people out of their money, you know the type of person that would sell their own mother to get that money and of course "sinners" implies those who are unholy against God. The teachers who were Pharisees (according to the bible) noticed this and asked the other disciples (v.16) "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus profound response in verse 17 was/is "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." One thing about this book we know as the bible that must be never overlooked is God's full intention. These and many other illustrations are deliberately placed here by God via his servants to teach us practical lessons about this life we live. Jesus, here has illustrated the true essence of discipleship by teaching the ignorant and those who want to learn about how to bring others out of sin and into a saved life. Now, the difference with us and Jesus is that we can save no one but merely can lead others to the one who saves! His statement to those pharisees was to teach them something, you see Christ was a carpenter but what was his main purpose on this earth. To die on that cross and save humankind from hell. He knew his purpose, and he lived that purpose out. Let's make it practical for 2010 believers, you are a accountant, a lawyer, a doctor, or whatever your craft is. That is your gift, but not your purpose. The gift is a means to exercise the purpose. Prove it? Ok... Romans 8:28 " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,^[a] who^[b] have been called according to his purpose." Now them aint my words, check for yourself cuz' that's what it says. Whatever you do as a believer his purpose for your life is to give him glory. That's being his disciple, now you may not be a preacher, or working in the church but if you want to make it real plain...WE ARE THE CHURCH. Oh yea? I dont believe you...Ok...here it is. 1 Corinthians 12:12-20 "¹²The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. ¹³For we were all baptized by^[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
 ¹⁴Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. ¹⁵If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. ¹⁶And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰As it is, there are many parts, but one body." The metahpor here is that we make up the body of Christ.  1 Corinthians 12:27 "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." YOU...that is US. We all have different tasks same goal (or purpose) GOD's glory. Being a disciple does not mean that you force the gospel down anyone's throat but it does mean you are the living proof of God's power and grace and mercy and that in it of itself is the witnessing. The Love Jesus had for all men compelled him to sit at a table with a bunch of thieving tax collectors, and sinners as they eat a feast he came with the meat that will cause them to hunger no more. That LOVE lives on is the believer...he told the disciples in John 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Weather we realize it or not we got people who sit next to us, call us, laugh with us, even we call family and we know they aint saved. Our goal is not to make them become saved because its their choice, but we are most definitely to live the life that when they look at us it is a compelling lifestyle that makes them ask "how did you get like that?". We dont want to witness but when God makes it available we have to act on it in his will to do his will that someone else will come to Christ. It's not a scary thing its a incredible thing...i believe it was my girlfriend who showed me something in Colossians 4 verse 6 it said "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." That salt gives it flavor, so you keep their attention. Jesus was practical in his approach he knew how to get their attention and keep it. When its right and in its place you will speak with the authority of Christ and they will listen. My friends being a disciple is a task that we can do, must do, and will do for God's glory. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for Day 2.

"WALK IT OUT"